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Oh, for fuck’s sake.
“If she’s not yet, she will be soon,” I throw back.
“If you can get her in bed again,” he returns just as quickly.
Cristo chuckles. “We’re not like you Lupu fuckers. No woman can say no to a Popescu’s big dick.”
Christ, the way these old men talk.
Alex rolls his eyes. “Believe what you will about Popescu dick, but I can forbid her from seeing you.”
Addressing me, he goes on, “I can’t imagine how you got a girl like her into your bed after what happened in the cafeteria. Regardless, Tatum’s gone and it’s my duty to protect her.”
I give a derisive snort. “Oh, like you’ve done such a great job protecting her so far. Look what kind of protection you have on her? None, that’s what. Tatum killed the Bratva boss and you have no one watching her.”
“Don’t question the way I rule, boy,” growls Alex. “You’re nosef. Hell, you’re not even aconsilier,so shut your damn mouth.”
“Look how forbidding anyone to do anything worked for you, Alex,” Cristo interjects, bringing up his marriage to an outsider, which had been the scandal of the year.
“Or Luca and Cat. How did that end up? If Lucian and Star wanna fuck, they’re gonna fuck regardless of what you or I say. If they want to be together, let them be together. We were already discussing another alliance. I suggested Simon, but Lucian is a far better choice.”
“Oh, and are you finally going to make him yourconsilier? Because that might change my mind.”
“It’s in the works,” Cristo replies vaguely. “It’s a Popescu clan decision without Lupu interference. Don’t push.”
“Don’t pretend it’s anyone’s decision but yours, Cristo. And who’s pushing? I don’t give a fuck what you do. I’m only asking because it might influence my decision.”
Cristo hates being questioned. He curls his lip and opens his mouth to insult Alex, but I step in and say, “The Bratva will know what she means to me. I bet they already know. That puts a target on her back. They may have dismissed her as not valuable since Tatum’s fallen from grace, but now—”
“Now she’s fucking bait,” Cristo finishes. “The sooner she’s married to Lucian, the safer she’ll be.”
“Or she’ll be in more danger,” Alex argues.
“That’s a given, which is why her protection is vital. Once they know she could be carrying my son, her value skyrockets. They hate Tatum for the assassination and they hate me for invading their distribution routes on the Jersey Shore. She’s the perfect target. How will it look when she gets kidnapped, hmm? People will either think that you sacrificed her because you actually hate her brother or…”
“Or that we can’t protect what’s ours,” concludes Cristo. “And there’s no way in hell I’ll allow that to happen. If Lucian doesn’t claim her, it suggests that I either don’t know what’s happening in my own clan or that I’m so incompetent that I can’t do simple math. It’s a given that if they’re fucking, they should marry.”
“And under the blood oath, we’re practically married anyway,” I insert.
“We’ve done away with that barbaric tradition,” Alex counters.
“Technically, yes,” Cristo replies. “But it still holds power in the minds of every Romanianmafie, especially the older generation.”
“Fuck, why are you fighting this?” I demand through clenched teeth.
If I have to kidnap her myself, I goddamn will.
“Fuck, why do you want her so bad?” Alex throws back at me.
Silence.
“Why, Lucian? Tell me why you want Star?” he pushes.
“Because I fucking love her,” I bellow. “There. I said it. Are you satisfied?”
A smug smile spreads over his face. “Yes, motherfucker, yes.”
Bastard.
